Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-16
SHALL WE HAVE A LOCAL "BooMp'

spirit that ought to attract wide attention
1t is immaterial for the purposes of this
consideration whether his details for local
improvement are all within the realm Of
feasibility or MOTT is sufficient that the
propositions have the ring of high public
enterprise, move upon the plane of posi-
bility, and point out means at hand 70,
making the favored section suburban to
Sacramento the most inviting, prosperous
and best peopled of any portion of our much.
favored State. 1t ought TO make
no difference whatever who is to be
benefited or how much, what private bus
mess is to be advanced or individual ambi-
ton conserved, when a plan is proposed
that on its face is meritorious and promi-
ses to enhance the value of all property,
and increase the sum of human happiness
In brief, the suggestion is that the
people of the suburban region Of
Sacramento east of the city, by in
quiry and study Of the subject, con-
vince themselves Of the fact that there
is much money to be made by subdividing
the lapds into twenty and forty-acre tracts,
uniformly along the great main roads
leading out of the city eastwardIy. That
they then make the subdivisions. That
then water be raised by steam motors or
brought from the American river in fumes
and led upon every tract. And this is by
no means great task. AS is pointed out
if rich gold diggings should be discovered
near Florin or Brighton or Elk Grove
within three months time water in guam
tity would be piped to the place and thou
sands of men would be applying it to the
extraction of the precious metal. Yet
between this city and Folsom in one direc-
ton, and Elk Grove in another, there is
greater promise, more actual enduring
wealth, more Of real permanent value than
IN dozen gold mines of high character.
The tracts divided and water for irriga-
ton assured-and it is near at hand, easy
of conveyance and capital will bring it in
so soon as the guarantee of population that
subdivision will give is made-there re-
mains the building Of two or three short
lines of tramways, suited to light motors,
to traverse this suburban region and bring
every tract into frequent, cheap, easy and
speedy communication with the city. We
have abiding faith in the proposition that
c,rhl eol,o l. I
and water assured for irrigation, pop
ulation and the local railways will follow
right speedily. As to which will come
first may be debatable, but they
will be very nearly contempora-
neous. One line of railway and branch,
already tap large part of the section in
dictated, and these lines will readily re-
spond TO the spirit of the new movement.
There will be needed then but two short
cheap lines at the utmost in addition, to
bring every acre into immediate quick COM
munication with the business of the city.
These lands are splendidly situated; they
produce fruits and berries and general
products with great bounteousress the
question of hard pan" is practically set
tled orchards are now grown upon it in
defiance of its native stubbornness. Florin.
with its wonderful prosperity under the
'small-tract system, can be spread over
the whole region eastward from this CITY
for twenty miles, and longitudinally for a
like distance. When this work is once en-
tered upon it will progress with speed
that will put the wonderful growth of the
country suburban to Los Angeles to the
blush for its laurels
Unquestionably, whatever the possible
miscalculation of details, the fundamentals,
the essentials of this scheme are sound.
They are clearly so sound that, with such
SOIL such relation to market, such climate,
similar lands anywhere in the east would
teen with population revel in prosperity.
and contribute to the support of large
and tlourishing city. Within circuit Of
dozen miles eastwardly of Sacramento
there are probably hundred homes, but
there is capacity for one thousand, possibly
for as many more every one reliant upon
the soil and strong in its independence and
self-helpfuluess. II, as our correspondent
AYERS, the leading land proprietors are al
readily warmly favorable to the subdivision
proposition, one-half the work is done.
Consent to action, conviction of the public
spiritedness of the scheme, is half the bat
tie won.
Details we care little about; the great
central and controlling idea is the boom"
of the local region. 1t is possible; it is
within easy reach; We can have it if we
will. There will be no difficulty at all
comparable with the benefits to flow in
peopling the section with desirable home
seekers, if we but will it. Five hundred
families located between this city and Elk
Grove, with improved roads, fine drives
and water in plenty is within the possible
ity of accomplishment in the next three
years. If the people of Sacramento were
called upon to put 100000 into the work
1t would be the safest and best of schemes
In which the sum could be launched. II
capitalization of the scheme is needed,
there is money in plenty in Sacramento to
do ii, which is now employed less usefully
mainly in lending and Investigating
from the necessities of men. We could
name thirty men in this city, whose homes
and interests are here, who could, if they
would, put the whole sum named into a
local Improvement association that would
have no difficulty in setting the new idea
upon practical feet and guaranteeing for
il speedy success.
But all these things may be worked out
even if capitalists remain inactive Com
bined effort; the sinking Of selfishness
the disregard of jealousy and fossilism
some manifestation of such public spirit as
is now stirring San Jose, Stockton, Oak
lind, Santa Cruz and San Diego to their
certers will do wonder, for Sacramento.